As it stands now, the neurologist is starting Jackson on a medicine called lamictal. The main side effect from this med is a really bad (and sometimes life-threatening!) rash. To avoid this, we are going to taper up very slowly, over 16 weeks. With the slow tapering up there is less than a 1% chance of getting the rash, but it is still something we need to be watching for.
He had his first dose last night, and he slept really badly which is common until he gets used to the dose and it will probably happen each time we increase.
The funny thing is that both the neurologist on the floor last week and the nurse I spoke with this week say it is "a really good medicine", but the way they say it just makes me chuckle. They have such genuine affection in their voices when they talk about it. I have not seen that with any other medication before, and Jackson has been on quite a few.
